


Daddy Says

by annelea



Series: From One Door To Another [6]
Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, ghost story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-11-17
Packaged: 2019-07-27 18:47:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16225106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annelea/pseuds/annelea
Summary: It's been almost six years since Kakashi died, leaving Sakura and their unborn daughter behind.  So why is it that said daughter is giving her mother orders from "Daddy" and "Brother?"Where did her wedding dress go?  Who smashed all the dishes on the floor when nobody was home?As Sakura and Sasuke's wedding draws nearer, incidents like these become more and more frequent.  Will it ever stop?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just laying in bed this morning, trying to come up with some sort of Halloween/Spooky theme, and this popped into my mind. It will be multi chapter! I intend to finish this by the end of the month, hopefully!

"Mama, Daddy says you need to take a nap."

  
Sakura looked down at her five-year-old daughter with curiosity. Yes, Rin knew some of who her father was, and what he had looked like, but she didn't call anyone else daddy. Sasuke and Yamato were each called by name with Pappa in front. She understood that neither man was her biological father, even if they did fill that role in her life.

So what the hell was she talking about?

"Who said that, dear?" Sakura asked carefully.

"Daddy did."

"Pappa Sasuke or Pappa Yamato?"

The girl clenched her fists and stomped. "Daddy! Not them!"

Nervous now, Sakura chose to change the subject. "Why don't you go get washed up for dinner? Your Papa Yamato is bringing dinner tonight. Pappa Sasuke isn't going to be home until later after dinner."

Sakura watched as her daughter's eyes became narrowed slits, reminding her of Kakashi's most displeased expression instantly. The frown Rin wore was the same one Sakura had never actually seen Kakashi's lips produce, but had always imagined when she saw his eyes like that.

"He said you need a nap because my brother is sad seeing you so tired."

Never once had Sakura told her daughter about the baby she almost had before Rin. That baby would have been a boy.

"That's enough. You don't have a brother. Now go wash up and get changed for dinner. You still have mud on you." Sakura demanded. "You know what? Take a full bath. I see something slimy in your hair, too!"

"You can't see anything in my hair!"

"Your hair is practically cloud white. I can see everything in it! Now go, or you will be going to bed early. Do you understand me?"

Rin hated going to bed early. She always had to say good night to both of her Pappas. When one was away for a night, she got to say it in a phone call. When one came home late, she got to either stay up or be woke up. If she was made to go to bed early, however, she didn't get to say good night in any form.

Sakura finished re-organizing the book shelf while her daughter bathed. She heard every angy kick at the tub and splash on the floor. Well... She'd have to make sure Rin cleaned that up, too. One thing she was despirately trying to teach the girl was to clean up her own messes.

"I'm home! Where's my favorite girl?"

"Taking a very messy bath," Sakura replied, jumping up to help Yamato with the bags he had brought.

"Sounds angry up there," he commented.

"She is."

Sakura took the drinks from him and put them in the fridge while he sorted the rest out on the counter top. Things went quietly domestic for a while.

"Any word on miss Amaka?" Sakura questioned hopefully.

Yamato blushed. Sakura had found out about his newest girlfriend a week ago. She bugged him about her once a day since. "She is coming for dinner tonight. I hope you don't mind me inviting her over."

Sakura gave him a look. "Are you crazy? I want to meet her and all, but... Don't you think you might be giving her the wrong impression?"

"The wrong impression? How so? I want her to meet my family, and you guys are my family!"

"But what kind of family will she think we are? What kind of relationship will she think we have had?"

He smiled, shaking his head. "She already knows it isn't like that. I asked her to be my date for the wedding already."

"Wow. You move fast!"

"How so?"

"You've been dating her for what? Three weeks now? And you asked her to accompany you to a wedding as a date? Don't you know what that means?"

"I know exactly what that means. It means I don't want to be a single man at a wedding and get hit on by old women with no other prospects. That happened at Naruto and Hinata's wedding. Remember?"

Sakura stifled a laugh. Every woman that had tried hooking up with Yamato at the Uzumaki wedding was at least twenty years older than him. Yamato was far more interested in women within five years of his own age. When he had found out that Sakura and Kakashi were married and having a child nearly six years ago, he had been furious, but still willing to protect them. He hated what they had done, but they were still his team, his family. She found out a couple weeks after the disaster of a surprise baby-shower her mother had put together on short notice, that he had confronted Kakashi about it the next day. He was upset that people had actually thought he, Yamato, had been the father of her child. Him or Sasuke. He didn't like the idea of Sasuke being the father of Rin either.

Now, it was all a thing of the past. Rin was five and a half years old. Kakashi had been dead for almost six years. Sasuke had been a good friend and stand-in father for Rin for years now. Eight months ago, they had officially started dating again. Their wedding was in three months. Yamato was still welcome to live with them, but he was looking to buy some property and build a house of his own. In his spare time, he was dating here and there.

  
Never before had Sakura seen Yamato so excited and happy about any of the women up until this one. They hadn't been together even a month, yet, Sakura felt that this one would be the one to hang on to him. All the others fell off the map for different reasons. Usually they couldn't handle the kind of hours he worked, or the frequency of his absenses from town.

  
Amaka came from a shinobi family, but had chosen to work in a furniture shop after the Fourth War had ended, resigning her position as a Chunin due to an injury to her back that healed badly. Amaka knew the life style. She knew her boyfriend was ANBU. She understood the demands that placed on him and how that could interrupt their time together.

"When should she be here?" Sakura asked.

"Any minute now. I told her when I expected to be home, but she said she had a few more deliveries to make and might be a little late."

"Good. I'm going to need a little extra time with Rin today."

Yamato became worried. "What did she do?"

Sakura leaned against the stove, crossing her arms as she looked to the floor. She realized now just how deep the words her daughter had said affected her. "She said 'Daddy needs you to take a nap because Brother is sad that you're so tired' or something like that. Sasuke and I have never told her about her brother. She knows Kakashi is.... How could she just up and say something like that? What could she possibly be thinking?"

Yamato sighed, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "She's probably acting out because of the wedding. I did... I did ask her if she was planning on calling Sasuke her dad after that happens."  
"It's not like that," Sakura shook her head, finally raising her gaze to meet his eyes. "I asked her if either one of you had said that. She said no. She said it was her daddy."

  
Sakura didn't even realize she was crying until Yamato pulled her into a gentle embrace, laying his cheek on her hair. She clung to his shirt and started sobbing hard.

"Am I doing something wrong? Should I not be marrying Sasuke? Does she hate me for that?"

"I highly doubt that," he assured. "She loves Sasuke like a father. He treats her well. He's been there for her her whole life. It's got to be something else. You're not doing anything wrong. And as to whether or not you should be getting married to him? That's between the two of you. It's not like you've been a single mom this whole time and suddenly telling her you're getting married to a person she's never even met or anything. Maybe... Maybe she is just getting an awareness of what blood family versus soul family is. Maybe somebody at school teased her about having two Papas and no actual Dad."

It was no secret that many people thought Sakura had been sleeping with both men in her house this whole time. None of them did anything to fight that assumption. Fighting it would have made it worse. Rumor mills would go on no matter what their life style was. They were prominent figures, and people loved to tear down the best of them. At most, they did what they could to shield Rin from it. Now that she was in school, protecting her from such nonsense was no longer fully possible.

A knock on the door startled them apart.

"That's probably Amaka," Yamato sighed. "I'll keep her distracted while you get freshened up and see about Rin. Okay?"

"Thanks," Sakura squeezed his arm gently and made her way up stairs. They both knew she didn't want a guest of his to see her like this. Or see her daughter streaking through the house. Rin, even at five, was hard to keep clothes on, so very unlike her father.


	2. Chapter 2

Sakura didn't like Amaka.

The older woman was, also, a mother.  She had decided to try and dictate Sakura's punishment style.  Sakura wanted her daughter to clean up the mess she had made in the bathroom as punishment for making the mess in the first place.  Amaka thought that was too light of a sentence, stating that Rin should at least get a day's grounding for it, too.

"What would be the point?  She made her mistake, then she was made to deal with it.  I see no reason to continue punishing her when she's already made up for the problem." Sakura stated sternly.  "Rin-chan learns her lessons quickly.  She rarely makes a mistake more than once.  And who is looking after your child right now anyway?  You knew I had a daughter.  Why not bring your son over so they can play?"

Amaka's face went blank.  She stood and made to leave, muttering, "It doesn't matter.  I was just trying to help, seeing as I have already raised a child older than her.  I thought you might like...  I should go.  I overstepped my bounds in your house.  I'm sorry."

"Amaka, wait," Yamato stood and tried to bring her back.  "Sakura doesn't know.  I didn't tell her.  Please."

"No.  I can't stay."

"May I walk you home at least?"

"I..."

"Sakura, I'm going to walk her home," he re-entered the dining room.  "I don't want to leave her alone right now."

"What happened?" Sakura whispered, coming close in hopes that Amaka wouldn't hear.

Yamato looked down to his feet, responding just as quietly.  "Her son was nine.  He died the same day Senpai did."

Sakura's heart dropped into her stomach.  She wanted to run out and hug Amaka, but was scared of upsetting her farther.  Sure, she had offended Sakura first, but not on purpose.  "I'm so sorry..."

"It's not your fault."

There was a commotion at the door.  A new male voice entered the mix, greeting Amaka in curiosity.  Sasuke was home.

"You should probably get her out of here before he finds a way to offend her worse," Sakura suggested, both amused and concerned.

"Don't expect me home tonight," Yamato waved over his shoulder.

Some more short pleasantries were exchanged at the door, then Sasuke came into the dining room, quietly sitting down and serving himself some food without more than a glance at Sakura.  She didn't take any offense.  He needed his space when he first came home, only making a few minutes of exception for Rin.  The girl was too young to understand the adjustments Sasuke made between work and home.  He awoke early and took a while to prepare his mind to leave them.  He came home and took some time to accept that he had them for a while.

The fact that there was no pale haired child bounding into his lap is what brought him to look at her.  "What did she do?"

"Tried flooding the bathroom when I told her to clean up," Sakura replied, sitting back down at her place.  "She must still be cleaning it up."

"Ah..."  Sasuke reached out with his natural hand to grasp his fiancee's.  "You are a good mother, you know?  I remember my mother teaching me that way."

Sakura's heart just about stopped.  After all these years, he was finally sharing something about his family other than hatred.

"One of the few memories I have left..." he continued, unprompted.  "I was angry Itachi was going to train with Father instead of spending time with me.  She was making dinner.  I yanked the milk jar off the counter.  She made me clean up every last little drop, and double checked everything behind me.  I cleaned more than the milk.  She rewarded me with something...  I don't remember.  I always tried to clean something for her each day after that.  She never gave me another gift other than a thanks or a hug, but that was all I wanted, really.  Attention."

"That's so sweet, Sasuke," was all she could manage to reply.  "She has been up there a long time.  Maybe I should go check on her."

"Yeah.  I need a little more time to prepare."

"Alright," she gave his hand a gentle squeeze before heading up the stairs.

When she got to the bathroom, it was to see that nothing at all was actually clean except the girl inside struggling to hang a dripping towel on the shower rod.  Said child was also chattering away.  Sakura hung back just out of sight to listen.

"You know, Mamma wants to marry Papa Sasuke?"  "I know, but... you can't play like that."  "Yeah, I wish you could be here, too."  "Papa Sasuke is cool, too.  He can do that glowing ball thing you told me about... the one that sounds like birds."  "Daddy, don't go yet!  Mamma is still mad at me!"  "I know."  "I know."  "I promise to be good."  "Um... the road of life caught me again!  Or... that's not how you say it...  It's..."

Sakura put her fist in her mouth, trying not to make a sound.  Who taught her that?  Who was she talking to?  There was nobody else in the room!

"Mamma, I know you're out there.  You can come in now.  I need help.  Mamma?"

Rin came out to find her mother crouched down, failing at holding back tears.  Why did she cry twice today?  Mamma hardly ever cried, and now, twice.

"Mamma are you okay?"

Sakura reached out and pulled her daughter close, then practically ran downstairs with her.  There were no living beings upstairs other than her, so why did she get the feeling her daughter wasn't just talking to herself after all?"

"Look, Papa Sasuke is home now!" she choked out, setting Rin down in Sasuke's lap.

As expected, her child's eyes lit up with happiness, completely forgetting about the wet towel she'd left in the bath tub and the conversation she'd been having earlier.  Sasuke gave Sakura a questioning look, but was not allowed an answer.  Sakura mouthed "later" just before busying herself in cleaning up her, Yamato, and Amaka's plates.  Rin just ate what she wanted off Sasuke's plate.  He expected that, and had thus put extra on it.

"Can I have another brother?" Rin asked him seriously.

Sasuke nearly spit out his food.  "Excuse me?  You don't have a brother."

"Well... not any more, but...  I want another one.  A younger one this time.  Please?"

"Um... maybe.  That's really up to Mamma, isn't it?"

"Why is it up to her?"

"Rin-chan, we talked about this last week when you asked where babies come from.  Your Mamma has to be on her feet a lot, and she won't be able to put the baby down somewhere while she works.  Not before it is ready to come out.  When she was pregnant with you, she did just fine until the last couple months.  Your grandparents and Papa Yamato and me took turns helping her around the house while she rested.  You were a big baby by the end.  If she gave you a brother or a sister, they might be a big baby sooner.  And that would be hard on Mamma, wouldn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Who told you you had a brother anyway?" he asked, looking her straight in the eyes.

"Daddy showed me Brother.  He looked like you!  Except, his eyes matched, not like yours."

"But who told you?  Papa Yamato?"

Rin huffed, crossing her arms.  "Why don't you and Mamma listen to me?  I said  _Daddy_ did.  Duh."

"Who is Daddy?  What do other people call him?"  Sasuke was seriously concerned now.  Was one of her teachers insisting the children call him "daddy" now?

"Daddy is the Sixth.  Daddy is the Copy Cat.  You always called him Kakashi."

"Who told you about Daddy?  Did they talk about him in school already?"

"No.  I talk to him."

"But, Rin-chan...  That is not possible.  Mamma and I told you, your father is dead.  You can't talk to the dead."

"He isn't dead.  He's just different!"

As the argument continued, Sakura shuffled through the photo albums she had reorganized earlier that day, pulling out the one she hadn't shown her daughter just yet.  Maybe now was the time to teach her about her father after all.  Maybe she was doing this because she was ready?  Maybe if Sakura showed her daughter what little was salvaged, this nonsense would end.  Taking a deep breath, Sakura called out to her daughter.

"Rin-chan, it's time to give Papa Sasuke some space.  Come in here and look at what I found!"

 


	3. Chapter 3

Kakashi hated leaving Sakura behind.

It actually took him a few hours to learn that he was, indeed, dead.

At first, he thought it was another out-of-body experience.  But, then, he found himself at that same campfire that had once brought him peace; it was the campfire in the blackness where he had met the spirit of his father years and years before.  There sat a boy this time.  This child was unfamiliar.  So why was he here?

"My Mommy has a new baby now," the boy said as Kakashi approached.  "It's your baby."

Kakashi sat down beside the boy.  "I see.  You weren't even big enough to survive.  How is it you're this big now?"

"This is how big I was when I died the last time."

Ah.

"What are we going to do?"

"Well... I had to forgive my father the last time I was here, so that he could move on.  Maybe, we are here for each other?  Maybe we are here for Sakura?"

"No.  I mean... What do we do about the new baby?  She's in danger."

"How do you know that?" Kakashi asked, worried.

"Because I saw it.  It makes Mommy mad.  It makes her loose people like me and you.  It wants her to loose my Dad, too."

"So...  How do we leave here to go help them?" Kakashi questioned.  "Have you done that before?"

"Yes."

"Okay.  How?"

.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

.

When he saw Sakura, she was curled in a ball in his old bed in the apartment he kept for the nights they were apart.  She held his pillow to her chest, rubbing her hand over her belly where their daughter resided.  Sasuke was near her, rubbing circles into her back.  His eyes were dry, but he looked around the place with a sadness that shifted, sometimes, to anger.  What was he sad about?  Was it Sakura's sadness that brought him down?  Was it the loss of Kakashi himself?  Was it both?

It didn't matter.  Kakashi was both grateful and jealous of the younger man.

"Do you see it?" The boy caught his attention off on his left.  "Do you see that thing hovering over them?"

Kakashi looked up to the ceiling.  Yes.  There was something there, somewhat like water, somewhat like inky smoke, swirling and fading in and out, lively in it's action.  The thing manifested three solid red orbs, what may have been eyes, and stared at them.  Kakashi heard the sound of paper ripping in short bursts.  Was that it's laugh?

"It's tired from killing all those people it had to go through to kill you."

"That didn't kill me."

"It influenced those who did."

"I see.  Why don't we attack now, then?  Why doesn't it attack us?"

"It can't hurt us.  It's too weak.  We can't kill it.  It has to be driven back.  We need help."

.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

.

It took over a year to find Jiraiya.  Three more to find Obito.  All the while, Kakashi and the boy he called Ryuu now, would take time to drop in on Sakura and Sasuke, and the daughter Kakashi couldn't live to raise, Rin.  Convincing Jiraiya was harder than convincing Obito.  They each had their reasons for not passing on to the next life.  Jiraiya wanted to hang around Tsunade, of course.  Obito didn't believe he deserved to have another life just yet.  Jiraiya thought Kakashi and the kid could handle this themselves with time.  Obito thought this could be the last bit of redemption he needed.

The monster was growing it's power again.

Rin could finally see them.

He had to talk to her, but she couldn't hear him yet.  He had to be stronger.  Ryuu's failed bonding with the fetus Sakura had lost before having Rin had left him far too weak.  He needed more time.  That's why he had used Kakashi to get other, stronger spirits.  His knowledge and their eventual strength would win the day, or so Ryuu assured.  In all actuality, Ryuu had been in a constant deadlock with this malevolent being for many life times.  He rarely lived past his teens.  His choice of Sakura as a mother this last time brought it to her.

It was time to start preparing Rin.  They had to use her to assure Sasuke and Sakura that they had protectors.

"Hey, there!  I'm here again!" Kakashi tried his hardest to speak with his daughter.  Interacting with the physical world of the living was draining.  "Can you hear me today?"

"I can!" the child lit up happily.  "I can hear you!  I'm Rin.  What is your name?"

"My name is Kakashi," he smiled down at her.

"That's my father's name!  Mamma told me!  Hey...  You look like him from the pictures!"

"That's right, baby.  I am your Daddy."

"Mamma says you are dead."  The girl frowned.

"She's right.  I did die, but I'm here for you.  I have always been here for you.  Me, your brother, and a couple other people."

"I know.  I saw them, too."

"You did?  That's good."

"I told Mamma about you telling me she needed to nap when you used your hands to talk.  She didn't like that."

"Yeah, I saw," Kakashi sighed.  "She's under a lot of stress now, right?"

"Yeah.  You know she wants to marry Pappa Sasuke right?"

"I do," Kakashi was irritated at that, but he couldn't fault her.  Sasuke had been with them since he died, taking care of Rin as his own, being a good friend to Sakura.  Of course things would eventually progress again.  "I wish I was here with you.  I know you like to play at being a ninja.  It would be fun to teach you."

"I know, but... you can't play like that."

"Your brother and I wish we could still be with you, alive."

"I wish you could be here, too.  Papa Sasuke is cool, too!  He showed me that glowing ball thing you did.  The one they said sounds like birds.  It does!"

He could hear Sakura's footsteps on the stairs.  "I have to go now, okay?  Your Mamma doesn't like you talking about me, yet."

"Daddy don't go yet!

"But I make her sad."

"I know." Rin frowned.

"One day, she will see us, too."

"I know."

"Can you tell her something for me?"

"Uh huh."

"Tell her that you got lost on the road of life while you were cleaning up and a frog jumped up on the sink and croaked at you, then talked your ear off.  That's why you took so long.  Okay?"


	4. Chapter 4

Sakura awoke to the feeling of lips on her shoulder.  According to the clock, it was about four in the morning.  This wasn't a rare occurrence.  Sasuke often had nightmares, and he fought them back by loving on her.  Sometimes he would just hold her close and kiss her skin then fall back asleep.  This morning was an exception.  She could feel his intentions growing as he pressed closer, pulling her back by the hip and allowing his hand to wander here and there to her most favored spots.  It didn't matter how tired she was; he would have his way, and she would allow it.

He pulled her onto her back, removing her night pants and shirt with a little help.  They couldn't sleep naked much with Rin around.  The girl still spoke of something in her closet now and then and just  _had_ to sleep between them.  If she wasn't here at this hour, she wouldn't be for the rest of the night.  As he kissed on her throat, she lifted her feet to peel his pants off with her toes, arching up into him, spurring on his need to be closer.

Sex didn't last that long this time.  They hadn't touched in nearly a week.  He reached his peak first, allowing her to grind into his hand for her own release after.  He didn't even bother wiping it off as he rested his head on her chest, clinging to her hard.  Whatever he had dreamed, it was rough.  She knew by the tears pooling on her skin.

Sakura clung to him, wrapping her body around Sasuke's as she pressed kisses to the top of his head.

She waited until he calmed a bit before asking if he wanted to talk.

"I just want to touch you," he breathed into her shoulder.

His weight was heavy, restricting her breathing, but she didn't care.  Being this close, able to bring him some form of comfort, was her most important goal at the moment.  He was snoring lightly again within a few minutes.  As comfortable as possible given the situation, Sakura started to allow herself to fall asleep again, too.  From the corner of her eye, she thought, for just a moment, she saw a figure standing hear the bed.  It was indistinct in the dark, but clearly the size of a full grown man.

"Yamato?" she muttered, curious if the man had picked up his sleep walking habit again.  No answer.  She wiped her eyes and refocused.  There was absolutely no chakra signature.  The figure was gone.  "Damn.  I must be really tired."

.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

.

 

Sasuke wasn't sure how long he had slept in this position, but he didn't care.  Waking up drooling on Sakura's breasts was an embarrassment.  Why did he have to drool?  His bladder didn't care, though, so he got up carefully, dried her off with the sheets, then stumbled to the bathroom.  Thirst was the next problem, along with his head ache.  Putting on a fresh pair of night pants and a robe, he grabbed the aspirin and a cup of water.  Taking a moment to inspect just how messy his hair was this time, he jumped and turned around quickly.  There was someone else in the room.  He saw him, right in the mirror behind him.

A man with even messier black hair and dark eyes stared back at him for a flash of a second.

Yet, the window was closed.  There was no chakra signature.  There was no disturbance in the air.  So how the fuck was Uchiha Obito there a second ago?

Worry propelled him to Rin's bedroom.  If there was any chance Obito were truly here, there was a major chance the daughter of Hatake Kakashi was in danger.  His blood or not, Rin was Sasuke's little girl.  He loved her and would do anything within his power to protect her.  He didn't care that he nearly broke the door down.

Rin looked up from her bed with wide eyes, startled.  One hand clutched her stuffed pig, the other held a child sized kunai.

"Was there anyone else here just now?" Sasuke demanded, looking under her bed and in the closet, finding nothing other than the mess of lost socks, shoes and toys that was always present.  "A man?"

"Just the guy with the pony tail," Rin shrugged.  "He told the bad one to leave again."

"Explain."  Sasuke turned to her.  Not once did he notice a foreign chakra signature in their house.  Sasuke was the only one out of bed.

"There's a bad one, and there's some good ones.  Daddy, Ryuu-nii-san, the pony tail guy, and Uncle are my friends.  The bad one doesn't have a name.  He just wants to make a mess and be mean.  My friends make him go away."

Daddy.  Big brother.  Uncle.  Pony tail.  What the hell?  "Rin-chan, get up and get dressed.  Come down stairs quickly."

"But school doesn't start for three more hours!" she whined.

"That's alright.  We're going to have breakfast at your favorite place down the road first."

"Okay!" she brightened up quickly.

.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------

.

"What's with the clone?" Sakura demanded while Rin ran to the restaurant's bathroom to wash her hands.  She had pet about eight dogs on the way, and one was particularly muddy.  "I saw you make one with a high amount of chakra."

"He's going home to double check the house."

"For what?"

"It's just a hunch for now, but I think I know what is going on with Rin.  Why she is talking to people who aren't there." Sasuke said all of this quietly, eyes traveling over the other early morning patrons.  "If it's what I think, the culprit will pay for it dearly."

"What are you talking about?"

"I saw something this morning.  Someone.  He is dead."

Sakura's face fell.  "Who?"

"A cousin," Sasuke replied carefully.  "Someone is projecting images of the dead into our home, using them to manipulate Rin.  We have to find the devices and use them to track the person who put them there.  We have to put a stop to this.  Now."

"Sasuke, she's a loner with few friends.  This is just her imagination.  You had to be sleepy and still dreaming a little when you got up or something.  Whoever you saw, it had to be your tired mind.  You were having nightmares again."

"She mentioned seeing Kakashi and three other people.  She calls the others Uncle, Big Brother, and Pony Tail Man.  And there's another she calls the bad one.  I don't like this."

Sakura looked down at her water, stirring the ice with the straw.  "You know, my father said that when I was her age, I would talk with my grandpa.  He died two days before I was born.  I never met him, but I could tell my parents things that he would say, things they never taught me.  Do you think... is it possible she really is talking to them?"

"Why would you think that?" Sasuke's brow furrowed deeply.

"I heard her talking the other night.  She said things only Kakashi would say, things I don't think even Yamato has told her.  We all try to hold up his reputation as the Hokage for her."

"What did she say?"

"That she got lost on the road of life and had a conversation with a talking frog about an old lady who needed help getting her cat off a roof."

"So...  Someone that has knowledge of him is messing with her."

"Are you serious right now?" Sakura grabbed his hand tightly.  "Let it go.  Things like this happen around children.  I heard Kurenai talking about the same thing with her daughter.  She knows from searching that there are absolutely no cigarettes in that house, but she smells them in Mirai's room every now and then.  Mirai even talks to someone she can't see.  Boruto once mentioned seeing someone who fit Jiraiya's description in Naruto and Hinata's bedroom one night."

"Sakura, you aren't listening to me.  I  _saw_ Obito this morning.  In our bathroom.  It was a flash of a second, but I swear it was him.  Someone knows all of us.  All of the Rookie Nine.  They are playing with us, and I'm going to put a stop to it!"

.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

.

Sakura couldn't find it.

She had fittings today.

The dress was gone.

She'd had it hanging Yamato's closet to keep it hidden from Sasuke until the actual day.  Yamato had shoved it to the back right of the closet to help keep it secret and safe.

"What's the matter?" Yamato asked, walking into the room, tooth brush still hanging out of his mouth.  Sometimes he used it to chew on.  Why, she had no idea, but he did.

"Where's is my wedding dress?" Sakura questioned.  "I have to go get final fittings done today."

"It should be right where you left it last week."

"Yamato, I don't have time for this!  What happened to my dress?"

"Sakura, it's right there-" Yamato rounded the corner to look in his closet, finding the dress bag unzipped and empty.  "The hell?"

Three streets over, Sasuke was having a different problem.  There was silk and tatting raining on his head the moment he turned on the ceiling fan in the spare bedroom of Naruto's house.  It was warm, and he needed the air movement while he tried on his suit for the wedding.  He hid it here to keep it from Sakura.

"Naruto?" Sasuke called down the hall.  "What is this?"

Hinata looked in on him first, then nearly screamed.  She knew exactly what it was.


	5. Chapter 5

Sakura looked horrified at the contents of the bag Sasuke handed her.  He had a look of mixed apprehension and accusation.

"Does this mean you don't want to get married after all?"

She looked back up at him in confusion.  "What are you talking about?  I've been looking for this for hours!  Why is it shredded up?"

"Look, the only thing we can do now," Naruto interrupted before any more finger pointing could happen, "is go get you to the dress shop and see if there is anything else that will work for you.  Okay?"

"Naruto, the wedding is in two days!" Sakura reminded, exasperated.  "That's not enough time!"

"Not true!" Naruto grinned at her.  "Hey, we just get another dress you like, then run it over to Konohamaru's wife's sister's sister-in-law!  She got Moegi's dress done from bolt to finish in three days.  Imagine what she can do with one that's already started!"

"Are you talking about Kiri?" Sakura questioned.  "Kiri hates me!"

"Then... then uh..." Naruto was fumbling here.  He had no idea what to do.

"Bring it to my cousin Amaka," Hinata suggested.  "She is low on customers right now.  I'm sure she can do something."

.

...................................................................................................

.

One stitch.  It was perfect except for one stitch.  Sakura worried the spot between her fingers, so worried that the one stitch might call attention to itself at some point.  No, the priest wouldn't notice.  Her father wouldn't notice.  Her mother would.  And, knowing her mother, the woman would call attention to it when they left the shrine to the party waiting outside.

"Sakura, stop it," Mebuki grabbed her hands and pried the dress out of them.  "The only way people will know anything is if you keep doing that."

What?  Her mother already noticed?

"You're going to rub that spot bare," Mebuki added.  "After all the work that Hyuuga woman did for you, you could at least show it off properly."

"It's not right, Mamma," Sakura sighed.  "This one is beautiful, more beautiful than the first one, but it's not the one I wanted.  It's too lavish, and I just..."

"Baby, I wasn't there for your first wedding.  Don't deny me this.  You look lovely.  Now, come on."

Later, after the official ceremony, Yamato had ro run home and change both his and Rin's clothes.  Rin had gotten herself sick on sweets and threw up all over him.  He promised to get her down for a nap and such.  He had planned on slipping off anyway to set something up for the newlyweds.  This worked out just fine for him, even if he was carrying a sick, crying child.  After getting her cleaned up, he planned to have her help him with the little surprise.

No such luck.

Instead, he was greeted with a destroyed kitchen.  Most of the dishes were piled in the sink, broken and jagged.  Pots and pans were bent into useless shapes on the floor and stove.  Utensils were sticking out of the walls.  One clear circle was near the back door, as if something had blown outwards from there.  Even the table and chairs were turned over.

Worried that whomever had done this might still be around (the door was still locked, so how it happened was curious) he made a quick clone to survey the rest of the house and waited by the door with Rin sleeping in his arms.  It took a few minutes before the clone returned and reported that absolutely nothing else seemed touched.  He brought back a change of clothes for each of them so that they could change in the shed instead.  The clone, then set to work on cleaning up the mess.

"What do you say we go shopping, Rin-chan?" Yamato asked.  Worried, but secure in the knowledge that the clone would take care of things here, his next step was to make sure everything was replaced.  His plans for Sakura and Sasuke were changed a bit, but, this way, he could have the little girl's help, perhaps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's an extremely short chapter, but I started it, got distracted with online games, then distracted with Halo 2, and then was rushed to get off the computer again.


	6. Chapter 6

"That's not the last gift, Sakura-chan," Yamato presented an envelope.  He didn't tell her and Sasuke about the dishes, and Rin was sworn to secrecy.  The change in dishes was noted, commented on, and thanked for, but nothing was really asked.

"What's this?" Sakura asked, reaching out to take the proffered item.

"I won both the bids.  This one is for you."

Not remembering what he was bidding on, Sakura opened the parcel and nearly dropped the contents.  The receipt fell to the floor, but she caught the deed itself, seeing that it was newly printed and already signed over.  All that was missing was her and Sasuke's signatures.  With a shout, she was in his arms, hugging fiercely.  If anyone was watching from outside, they might think she was with him instead of Sasuke.  Sakura's displays of affection towards her friends had grown over the years from scoldings for not taking care of themselves and hard punches to hugs and pats.  Having her daughter really helped out in that department.  Sometimes Sasuke would show a bit of jealousy, especially when it came to the affection she showed Yamato, but he bit it back and took it out on her in private in the form of extra kisses and cuddling while they lay in bed.

Sasuke heard the commotion and re-entered the kitchen half dressed, toothbrush hanging out of his mouth.  He rolled his eyes and went back to the bathroom.  The jealousy that would have sprang up before somewhat soothed at the moment due to the fact that Sakura had just taken his name for her own a few hours ago.  Besides, he was already drained on social interactions, only being able to stand so much at once, and Yamato had talked with him in private about this yesterday.

"Alright, that's enough," Yamato pushed her back gently.  "I dropped Rin-chan off with Ino-san on my way back.  She's got a week's worth of clothes, so don't worry.  I need to head out now, myself."

"Where are you going?" Sasuke's head poked around the corner again.

"I have a place to stay while you two get your sanctioned alone time together."

"You don't have to leave," Sakura protested.  "Sasuke and I were going on vacation out of town."

 _That's probably for the best._ "Ah, I see...  So, that means I can get started packing here while you're away.  Do you want me to work on your things as well, or just my own?"

"I don't know," Sakura blushed and beamed at the paper in her hand.  "There's a lot of things we all bought together."

"I'll just work on my own, leave those things for when you get back."

.

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.

Yamato sat down on top of the Hokage Monument, specifically on top of the head of the Sixth.  He looked out over Konoha, noting all the many, many differences from when he was a child under Danzo's instruction.  Kakashi and the Third had gotten him out.  He was much younger than Sai, thus much more able to learn social skills and form bonds.  He'd chosen to keep his friends to a minimum, knowing full well how easily they could be gone in the blink of an eye.  Kakashi had been one of those friends.

They had met when Yamato was almost ten years old.  Kakashi was fourteen.  Naruto had been born the previous fall, stripping Kakashi of his mentor, but leaving him with two other highly skilled, slightly older ANBU partners with which to help Yamato in his assimilation into Konoha's village life.  It wasn't easy being in Kakashi's shadow.  Not many people realized that he, too, was a genius and in the field at the same age Kakashi had entered it.  But, Yamato liked it that way.  Let Kakashi have the reputations and bingo book status.  That way, Yamato could work in the shadows with greater ease.  The more people thought he was like them instead of Kakashi, the more he learned, the less he stood out, the better he could complete his missions.  Unlike the Sixth Hokage, Yamato didn't get recognized so easily, allowing him a freedom of sorts that Kakashi never had, even as a child.

When Itachi committed treason, Kakashi held Yamato back from going after him with the others.  Ko and Yoji were split from the team after that, forming their own two-man-cell.  Then, when Kakashi left to become a Jonin-sensei, that just left Yamato and Yuugao.  Yuugao continued on her own after Kakashi's suggestion to the Fifth, later rejoining with Ko and Yoji.  Yamato still wasn't returned to ANBU duty.  Not officially.

No.  He was still the head of Kakashi's team for a long time, then the unassuming Jonin that was always close by.  He was, in truth, Kakashi's closest guard.  The ANBU guards were always on a strict rotation, but Yamato could be there at any time, in plain view.  Nobody outside of their little inner circle knew he was ANBU and had kept close ties with them, and his clearance level, too.  It was funny sometimes when someone would get a hot temper in a negotiation or other meeting and then try to make a move on Kakashi when only Jonin or lower ranked aids were present.  One time, Yamato knew for a fact that Kakashi had been sleeping long before the visiting shinobi from a smaller country had caught on and lashed out.  Yamato was between them before the hothead realized, slamming him to the opposite wall.  He'd made mention that if the idiot was more interesting in his offers, Kakashi would have stayed awake.  Later on, he found out that the previous night Kakashi and Sakura had conceived Rin, staying up all night to do so.

And Kakashi had had the nerve to say Rin was conceived on accident.

"What are you doing right now, senpai?" Yamato asked the rock beneath him.  "Are you the reason there's been so much mischief around the house?  Are you mad at Sakura for being with Sasuke?  He's been good to her.  I've made sure.  He's good to Rin-chan, too.  So why were the dishes and Sakura's dress ruined like that?"

Yamato leaned back, stretching out to look at the cloudy sky above.  It would rain this evening, he believed.

"I would have taken the heat for you, you know.  I was ready to when I learned the truth.  Protecting you... Protecting Sakura-chan...  It meant so much to me back then.  It still does with Sakura now, and your daughter, but...  I will be loosing my position with them soon.  They have Sasuke.  I promise, he doesn't show it in the open much, but he really does love them.  Even that night, when you came clean about everything, Sasuke and I both were willing to protect your secret.  He was so jealous of you, but he respected you more than he hated you in the end.  He hasn't tried to lie to Rin-chan about you.  He doesn't want to lie to her for anything except what she isn't ready to understand."

Yamato sat up again.  "I'm going to miss the little brat being around all the time, but now it is time to fully move on.  You are dead, Kakashi.  I have stayed by her side for you far longer than I should have.  Do you understand, Senpai?  They need to continue their lives without you.  You have to leave them alone now.  You and whoever else you have with you need to back off.  These attacks aren't welcome or warranted.  Please.  Let them live together in peace.  They deserve it."

.

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.

 _Kakashi listened to the words of his kohai, wishing he could get the other man to understand that he already knew all of this.  He wished he could leave a message of some sort, telling him that it wasn't any of their fault, not Kakashi, Jiraiya, Ryuu, or Obito.  No, it was someone-_ something- _else entirely.  It was never human._

_Ryuu would be leaving again, soon, to try and be born again.  Sakura didn't know it yet, but she was pregnant again.  Sasuke would have another shot at being a father, but only if they were successful in capturing, stopping that damned ball of evil.  It had made many attempts on Ryuu lately, and Kakashi had finally convinced Jiraiya that this was important enough to get involved with more fully.  Instead of using his ability to interact with the living world to move Tsunade's sake back in her drawer after Shizune removed it again... well... he still wasn't sure what to do._

_Even so, to have Tenzo thinking this of him?_

_Wait._

_The new house!  Tenzo would be moving some things there in the morning._

_Ryuu was most used to manifesting changes to the living world, but he was tied to Sakura, again a string of fate had them tied together.  It wasn't like the red string of love Kakashi could now constantly see between Sasuke and Sakura, but a pink one like the one tied between Rin-chan and Sakura.  It was a happy familial tie, and it was short.  Unlike the ones with Sasuke and Rin, Ryuu's had no give.  He didn't have permission by fate to leave her side at any time.  Each day, the length he was allowed away was shorter.  He would be bonding with his new body sooner rather than later._

_Gritting his teeth, Kakashi made his way to Tenzo's new house, looking around for something, anything he could use to make a mark.  Ah, yes.  In the fridge there were left overs.  Noodles!_

_"Sorry about this, Kohai.  I know it attracts insects, but you've got to get the message already!"_

.

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.

Sakura listened to Sasuke's heart beat steady out, his breathing slowing down as he pressed soft kisses to the top of her head, then let his own head fall back on the pillow, keeping his arms wrapped around her loosely.  The air conditioner cooled their bodies fast, the light sheen of sweat that had built up now making her shiver a little.  Sasuke moved as little as possible, reaching out to bring what little of the blanket he could grab and wrap it over her lower half.  The rest was tangled under his back somehow, so he'd just have to replace his arms to keep her warm.

"You're a bit more sensitive tonight," he commented, smiling despite the fact that she couldn't see it from her angle.  "You smell different, too."

Sakura stiffened.  "What do you mean?"

"You smell sweeter," he explained.  "It's different, but... it's still you.  It kind of reminds me of when...  Never mind.  I'm probably wrong."

Sakura raised up, looking him in the eye as much as she could, "Explain yourself."

Sasuke pulled her down for a long, deep kiss.  Yes, she even tasted slightly different.  He could confirm it if he wanted, just activate his right eye's gift and check her chakra flow, but he was pretty sure without doing that.  His grin turned into a full on smile.  "No."

"Sasuke..." Sakura growled at him.

"No.  I don't want to spoil it for you.  If I'm wrong, nothing will be spoiled at all."

She thought to herself a moment.  What could he possibly be implying?

He laughed now, watching as her face scrunched up a bit.  Rin did that, too, when she was frustrated over an answer that was not so forthcoming.

"Don't you dare laugh at me like that!" She smacked his chest, not so playfully.

He sobered up quick.  The last time they were together and she was like this, it had ended up in him getting kicked out of her life for almost a year.  Of course, that act had ended up with Rin's existence, and he wouldn't trade that for anything now, unless it meant Kakashi was still alive and Sakura and he had had their son instead.  But, no, he didn't want a life without his step-daughter in it, not now.

"Sakura, please," he shuffled out from under her, sad to loose the full on contact, but needing to think with more than his dick right now.  They sat facing each other soberly as he took her hands into his, noting that she still kept her wedding band on even to bed now.  It was a clear sign she was happy and proud to be able to show her marital status openly this time.  "Just think about it.  I know I told you before, a long time ago, when this happened.  You were more sensitive in everything then, not just sex.  Face it, you couldn't even finish your dessert today.  You said it was too sweet.  Since when is anything too sweet for you?  Except when..."

Sakura's mouth fell open.  It took several seconds for her mind to fully process this.  There were only ever two times in her past when she thought things were too sweet.  One of those times, Sasuke had commented that she herself smelled sweeter.  She shook her head violently, hoping it would clear out the thought and return things to normal again.  "No.  No way.  I can't be!  We have been careful until tonight!"

"No, we haven't," he reminded.  "There have been a couple times we didn't take precautions before.  It's highly possible."

"Noooooo...." she flopped over on her side dramatically.  "If you're right, I can't have any more alcohol for like... forever!"


	7. Chapter 7

"Is it true?"

Sakura looked at her daughter curiously.  No hello or yelling or jumping up and down, or any of the normal things that a kid Rin's age would do when seeing their mother after a week of absence were happening.  No.  Instead, her little girl just walked up and asked  _that_.

"Is what true?" Sakura asked, looking briefly to Ino for an answer.  Ino shook her head and raised her hands, clearly at a loss.

"Daddy says I'm going to have a little brother now."

Sakura took a step back.  Only Sasuke knew she was pregnant.  It was far too early to tell the gender.  She found out while they were away on honeymoon and had said nothing to anyone.  They were keeping this their little secret for the time being, something to murmur about late at night, something to be happy, excited, and terrified of all in one.  Did she let something slip on the phone?  Did Sasuke?  No.  No, that couldn't have happened.

"She's been saying things like that the whole time you've been gone," Ino informed.  "Inojin even backs her up about some men being around when it's only supposed to be us three.  Maybe it's just kids being kids?  Mom said I used to do that sometimes after my grandma died."

"But she's talking about her father," Sakura whispered, thankful that Sasuke had scooped the child up and kept her distracted for the moment.  "I mean it, Ino, don't look at me like that!  This isn't the first time she's said things like this.  I don't know what to do."

"She's really been creeping me out with it," Ino lead her into the den, away from the kids and Sasuke who were now in the living room turning on a video game.  "Sai can't figure out why Inojin would join her in this silliness.  She's described three different men.  I guess one could be Kakashi-sama, but...  How would she even know what kinds of things he used to say?  It's like..."

"Like she has had real conversations with him, I know," Sakura sighed.  "I've heard her doing it.  Sasuke has, too.  She says things about him that we've never told her, like the silly lies he used to come up with for being late all the time."

"Some of the things she has said came true," Ino added.  "Like when Yamato-taichou was on his way to see her yesterday.  He didn't call first, since we had agreed he could stop by any time.  She told me he was leaving Yuugao's house and almost here.  When he showed up, he told me that Yuugao said hello."

Sakura looked back through the door between the den and the living room.  "She's right about this, too."

"What?" Ino did a double take.

Sakura looked back to her long time friend, "It's only fair that I tell you first, since you told me first about Inojin.  Rin is going to be a big sister."

.

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.

Yamato stared at the noodles on the counter, a shiver running through his whole body.

None of his traps and wards had been set off in his absence.  Not one speck of dust was out of place.  So why were his noodles arranged in messy kana right here?

_Stop blaming me.  She is in danger.  We are protecting the baby.  Get a priest involved.  Tell them Jiraiya, Obito, and me are here to help._

_-Kakashi_

No.  Oh hell no!  No. No. No.  Kakashi could hear him?  He could communicate?  Protecting what baby?  Who was in danger?  Oh, yeah, he would  _definitely_ be getting a priest involved!  One to clear out his own house first!

"Senpai."

Yamato jumped to the left, gripping the hand on his right shoulder tightly.  He was about to break the intruder's fingers when he realized it was only Sai.

"I was just coming to say that Ugly and Bastard were back from their trip."

"Ah, thanks for the heart attack," Yamato mustered up the courage to speak.

"Would you mind releasing my hand now, Senpai?"

Yamato looked at his shoulder where he still held Sai's hand tightly.  He let go and stood upright again in a hurry.  "Sorry about that.  You actually managed to sneak up on me for a change."

"You must be truly distracted for that to happen... or are you admitting that you are becoming an old man?" Sai teased.  At least, Yamato believed he was teasing.

"Ha ha, very funny," Yamato frowned, then directed the younger man's attention to the counter.  "Look at this.  Someone got in here while I was gone and made my left overs into this sick message.  Someone who, also, heard me thinking out loud when I should have been alone at the Hokage Monument a couple days ago.  The message itself is oddly specific to things I asked."

"Hmm..." Sai scrutinized the words carefully.  "What were you asking when it came to these people?  They're all dead."

"I wasn't asking about them at all.  I was wondering...  Never mind.  You wouldn't believe me."

"Try me.  Your god daughter has been teaching my son some very interesting things about her biological father lately."

"So, you are aware of some of what has been happening around her lately," Yamato scratched at the back of his head, then decided he just couldn't stand to see the noodle words any longer.  He got a trash bag and a wet towel to clean the counter.  "I thought, perhaps Kakashi-senpai's ghost is still hanging around and he's mad about Sakura marrying Sasuke.  Things have happened.  Sakura's wedding dress was shredded and had to be made over again in a hurry.  Then, on the wedding day itself, I came home early because Rin-chan was sick.  We found all the dishes smashed."

"Will you tell them about this note?"

"I think I'll just take the author's advice and hire a priest to put a blessing on Sakura and Rin.  Sasuke himself has been unaffected.  Neither he or I have been directly involved until now.  If I'm getting things happening to me, it's only a matter of time before it happens to him.  Maybe it has, and he hasn't said anything."

"Hmm..." Sai helped himself to a glass of water.  "That would be typical of someone like him.  Like us of Root, he prefers to take care of things on his own without others ever knowing."

"Sai," Yamato sighed.  "How many times do I have to remind you that you are not of Root any longer?"

"Senpai," Sai looked him straight on.  "We always will be.  You and I reformed Root together under Kakashi-senpai's orders.  We are responsible for this.  It is only us two in the area.  What need to we have to hide this fact at the moment?"

Yamato looked away.  Yes.  Sai spoke the truth.  Their numbers were much smaller at the moment, and both he and Sai ran the operation with Kakashi's blessings, but unknown to Naruto.  They used different names and always wore their masks when dealing with the new Root organization's members.  Sai went by Ichi.  Yamato took up his old code name of Kinoe, both trusted aliases in the former Root when it was ran by Danzo.

"I still believe we should let Naruto know," Sai spoke.  He hadn't brought this up in months.

"Hah," Yamato nearly barked the laugh.  "You really want to go let the Hokage know that he and his staff are never the first to actually lay eyes on or assign the missions first?  You want to tell him that we have been operating behind his back, taking all the highest paying and most dangerous missions off his hands completely?  Shikamaru-san will be upset about the lost funding to Konoha at the very least!"

"Who is to say that Kakashi-senpai didn't already tell him about us?  He had intended for Dickless to be his replacement all along.  He shared many secrets with his former students that he probably should not have.  The only thing he truly kept secret was the full extent of his relationship with Ugly."

"We have other matters to attend to at the moment.  If Naruto knows, he will continue to keep quiet unless we step on too many toes too many times, or if he has direct need of our services outside of the missions we skim."

"We will need his aid in targeting new members soon.  We need to expand before our older members request leave from Root back into regular missions."

That was the big difference between the current way Root was ran and the way Danzo ran it a generation before.  New members were still needed at early ages, but they could leave the organization as they chose.  The only things held sacred were protecting Konoha by doing the dirtiest of the dirty work, and keeping the existence of Root absolutely secret.  The seal that had kept Sai mute about it was modified to new uses.  These days, it would not suffocate the bearer for slighting the leaders of Root or exposing their secrets.  Instead, the seal, when activated by a misstep in revealing the organization to anyone other than a member, would erase all memory of the organization from their minds.  If they did not remember it, if the information wasn't there at all, they couldn't betray anyone in any way.

"You're right.  I'll handle that myself.  I'm less likely to piss him off than you are."  Yamato sighed, looking back at his now clean counter.  "Still.  I need to fix this issue in my private life quickly.  Can this matter wait until that is done?  Something tells me that when Naruto finds out, I won't have the time to take care of this.  He'll have me interrogated, I'm sure."

"Maybe we could get Bastard to do the scouting?" Sai suggested.  "He is intending on being a Jonin-sensei soon himself.  Isn't he?"


End file.
